


In the Darkness There is Light

by lielabell



Category: Glee
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-04-22
Updated: 2011-04-22
Packaged: 2017-10-18 11:59:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,127
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/188678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lielabell/pseuds/lielabell
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lauren is different from all the girls Puck's been with.  Hell, she's different from all the women he's been with too.  She's confident in a way none of them have ever been.  And she doesn't need him for shit.  Which is really, really hot.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In the Darkness There is Light

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lls_mutant](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lls_mutant/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Halo](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/3005) by lls_mutant. 



"What's up with you and Lauren?" Finn asks, his brow furrowed.

Puck considers him for a moment, the way he was standing there, all expectant with that slightly stupid look on his face. Like he has a right to ask. "What do you mean?" Puck counters as he slams books into his locker.

"I thought it was just a," Finn pauses, searching for God knows what, "a payment," he finally finishes.

"Yeah, well. It was." Puck wonders if Finn will catch on to his use of the past tense.

Clearly, he doesn't. He just seems even more confused as he says, "But really, dude? _Lauren_?" in a way that makes Puck's hands curl into fists. Because, honestly, who the fuck is Finn to judge?

It takes longer than it should for Puck to swallow back that rage, to force his arms to cross over his chest and to _not_ slam Finn into the bank of lockers. "She puts out," he growls, though it's not true, "You got a girl who will do that?"

The look on Finn's face is almost enough to make up for the lie. Although he hopes it doesn't get back to Lauren that he said it. Because things are just starting to go his way with her, and fuck. Puck blinks as he realizes what Finn just said to him. Did he love Lauren? Who even asks that?

"No," he says a little too forcefully. Finn studies him with this half smile on his face and Puck knows he hasn't heard the end of this particular line of questioning. He opens his mouth to say something that Puck knows will be stupid, because stupid is Finn's default setting, his face all speculative and concerned. Puck heads him off with a shake his head. Then he slams his locker shut and walks away before Finn does something to screw up their friendship again.

But the question, that Puck can't escape from.

*

Lauren is different from all the girls Puck's been with. Hell, she's different from all the women he's been with too. She's confident in a way none of them have ever been. And she doesn't need him for shit. Which is really, really hot.

No one likes being used and Puck is no exception to the rule. Lauren, she's got no use for him at all. She doesn't give a damn if he comes or goes, she doesn't need him to make her feel better about her shitty marriage or to prove to the school how cool or hot or amazing she is. When Lauren walks with him, she never has that smug, superior look that Santana and her breed wear, like he's a Gucci bag they've got dangling on their arm. And he never has to wonder if she'll get bored or tired or ashamed like those wannabe housewives do. Which never ends well for him, no matter that they went down that road together and he didn't force them to do a damn thing.

And, yeah, he should know better than to sleep with married women who want to play sugar-momma and that he should stay clear of trifling high school bitches, but avoiding temptation has never been Puck's strong suit. Which is why he knows that this thing with Lauren is different. Really different.

Because Lauren never puts out. Hell, Lauren never kisses him. Or holds his hand. Or even pretends like he turns her on. But Puck? He's still there. He's playing every card he's got, trying to get her to notice him. To get her to want him as much as he wants her.

And, no, it's not love. Puck knows that. But there is chance that love could happen. And that chance, well Puck holds it close to his heart. Because if Lauren ever does change her mind, it will be because she's into _him_. And finding a girl like that... That's like getting hit by lightning twice.

*

"What's the deal with you and Puck?" Rachel asks like she's Lauren's friend or something.

Lauren rolls her eyes. "What makes you think I'm going to answer that, Boy Hips?"

Rachel purses her lips, narrows her eyes and makes that bitchface of hers. "I thought we had moved past pettiness like name calling, Lauren."

"Uh huh," Lauren takes a large bite out of her hamburger and feels a thrill at the crestfallen expression on the other girl's face.

"We're teammates," Rachel says after a long silence. "And I thought we were on our way to becoming friends."

Lauren swallows and takes a sip of her Coke. "Looks like you thought wrong."

"But--" Rachel begins.

Lauren cuts her off with a dirty look. "You and me, we aren't friends. I don't like you. But, hey, you don't like me much either, so we're even." She takes another bite and watches as Rachel tries to find a way out of that one.

"Fine," Rachel says, her voice tight with displeasure. "We aren't friends. But Puck definitely is my friend and I don't like the way you are stringing him on. It's totally uncool."

"Stringing him on?" Lauren laughs. "Oh hell no, girly. Puck knows exactly where he stands with me."

Rachel put her hands on the table and leans forward. "Puck is making a fool of himself over you."

"Duh." Lauren munches on a fry. "But I don't see how that is your problem. The only people who need to be concerned about Puck's obsession are Puck and myself. And since neither of us are bothered by it, I suggest that you pick up your sad little plate of rabbit food and find another place to eat."

"You don't have to be a bitch," Rachel snaps as she stands up.

Lauren laughs again. "Uh, yeah. I do," she says to Rachel's retreating back.

*

Lauren gets that people can't wrap their head around Puck being into her. When people look at Puck they see a fit, attractive, bad ass guy-- a guy they either want or want to be. And when they look at her, well, they see a girl who isn't pretty and needs to loose a lot of weight. People are stupid like that.

If anyone bothered to look beyond the surface, they would see a completely different dynamic. Puck, for all he is a prime male specimen, is one of the most insecure people that Lauren has ever met. More so than Rachel or Sam or even Sue Sylvester. Puck constantly needs reassurance that he is worth something. Which is why he falls for girls like Santana, who cares more about her ChapStick than Puck, and Quinn, who only wanted a walk on the wild side and didn't give a damn about how that would affect him.

And Lauren? Yeah, she's fat. But she's also got her shit together more than anyone else in this pathetic little town. She knows what she wants from life and she's got a plan to achieve it. And when Lauren makes a plan, it gets done. Not even God can stand in her way.

Which is why this whole thing with Puck is so... disconcerting.

Because boys like Puck don't do it for her. Never have, never will. She's needs someone as together as she is. Someone who is cool and kick-ass and, above all else, confident. That's the sort of boy that flips her switches.

Yeah, she's got to admit that she's shallow like anyone else. That's why she made the demand of Puck that she did. Well, that and the fact that she didn't want to join the stupid Glee Club and never thought for a moment that Puck would take her up on it. But, whatever, she's not going to lie to herself and pretend like she wasn't thrilled that he said yes. Which is why she was so disappointed by his complete inability to get her engine started.

Disappointed, but not heartbroken or even all that upset, since she never had a crush on him. Or liked him much. Or had any desire to get to know him at all.

And that makes her as stupid as the people who can't see anything more than a hot guy and a fat girl.

Because Puck, for all he's insecure, is sweet and charming and nearly as focused on his goals as she is. He likes rockabilly and punk and classic Seventies rock. He drives like a bat out of hell and he always, always manages to show her a good time. Even when all they are doing is hanging out in her basement watching reruns of _Doctor Who_.

Which is why she's been feeling kind of crappy lately when she shoots him down. He doesn't get mad or ask why like he use to; instead he just gives her this hang dog expression and she feels like a complete jackass. And sometimes she even catches herself thinking about what he's doing or wondering what he would think about whatever it is she's got on her mind. All of which tells Lauren that somewhere along the line Puck has started to matter to her. A lot. Enough for her to still feel a twinge of guilt about Rachel's comment when she sees Puck in the hall on in between classes.

"Puckerman," Lauren says and he turns around with a wide smile.

"Zizes."

"You and me, we got to talk." Lauren tilts her head towards the gym. "Meet me in the bleachers after school."

Puck swallows hard, but nods. Lauren gives him a nod of her own, then heads back to class.

*

"The thing is," Lauren says when Puck joins her halfway up the bank of bleachers, "I never really thought of myself as the sort of girl who needed a best friend."

Puck blinks at her. "Say what?"

"It's just not my thing," she continues like he didn't say a damn thing. "That whole super-close friendship thing. Not even when I was a kid."

Puck sits beside her and nods like he gets what she's talking about. She smiles at him and that knot of worry he has been carrying ever since she said they needed to talk untangles a bit. "Having a best friend isn't all it's cracked up to be," Puck says with an answering smile. "Just look at Finn. He's my best friend and half the time he hates me."

Lauren gives him a look. "You broke the bro code," she says like that explains away any and all of Finn's faults. And, well, Puck kind of has to admit that it does. So he nods again. "Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that I'm not the sort of girl who is into having a best friend who wants to be around all the time."

"Oh?" That knot of worry springs back into life with a vengeance.

"Yeah." Lauren lets out a sigh. "In fact, I'm not really into hanging out with anyone really."

Puck fiddles nervously with his jacket zipper. "I've noticed." She glances at him and he back-peddles a bit. "I mean, maybe it's just that you don't want to introduce me to your other friends." Lauren shakes her head and Puck lets out a breath he didn't realize he was holding.

"It's really weird, because you're around all the time now," Lauren says slowly. "I see you at Glee practice and you come over three or four times during the week and then we spend all weekend together and, honestly, I spend more time with you than anyone else I know."

Puck is pretty certain he knows where this conversation is going and, while he might not like it, he's man enough to cut to the chase. "Is this the part where you tell me you need space?" he asks with a forced casualness.

Lauren looks at him like he's lost his mind. "No."

"Oh." Puck shifts on the bench. "Then what's with the 'I never hang out and you're always around' speech?"

"You are such a dumbass," Lauren says with a roll of the eyes. "I was leading up to saying how much I like spending time with you. You're totally my Companion."

Puck brightens up at that. "I am?"

"Yeah, you are." Lauren leans over and rests her head on his shoulder.

"That's awesome," Puck says, resisting the urge to wrap his arm around her waist and pull her close. "I love being your friend."

God smiles on him, however, and she moves closer all on her own. "Actually," Lauren says, her breath tickling his neck, "I was thinking maybe it's time we start being more than friends."

Puck doesn't have a chance to respond to that before Lauren is kissing him. And this time she when she pulls away, she’s smiling.


End file.
